1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a waterproof and dustproof switch, more particularly one, which is relatively easy to manufacture and assemble, and will emit light through the lateral side thereof.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,573,466B1 discloses a waterproof switch, which comprises:
a housing,
a contact system located in the housing,
an actuating member arranged in an opening on the housing, said actuating member partly protruding out of the housing and acting on the contact system with a switching effect, and
a cap which covers the part of the actuating member protruding out of the housing as well as the opening in the housing and allows the movement of the actuating member, the cap having a cover of a hard material and a sleeve-like part of a flexible material, the sleeve-like part including a bellows, and the cover being arranged on the part of the actuating member protruding out of the opening in such a way that the actuating member is movable via the cover,
wherein the cover includes a planar surface for engagement by a user and a rear surface parallel to the planar surface, in that one end of the sleeve-like part is fastened along a peripheral edge on the rear surface, and the other end of the sleeve-like part protrudes beyond the surface of the cover, the protruding other end of the sleeve-like part being arranged on a region of the housing surrounding the opening.
Such waterproof switch structure was found to have disadvantages as followings:
1. In manufacturing and assembly, after the hard cover of the cap is made, it is positioned in a mold for the flexible sleeve-like part of the cap, and a certain kind of adhesive is applied on the hard cover, and injection molding process for the flexible sleeve-like part is started; thus, the cap is made with the flexible sleeve-like part being joined to the hard cover. Therefore, it takes much labor and time to manufacture the cap. Furthermore, because the flexible sleeve-like part and the hard cover are made of different materials, the manufacturers have to take the trouble to find and use a suitable kind of adhesive according to the materials for the flexible sleeve-like part and the hard cover, otherwise the flexible sleeve-like part and the hard cover can't be securely joined together.
2. The sleeve-like part of the cap is impervious to light therefore light can only travel through the top of the switch, and people can only see the top of the switch shining.